


the flower that smiles today

by Silver_Porch



Category: Kuroko no Basuke | Kuroko's Basketball
Genre: Akashi Seijuurou is a Dork, Flowers, Fluff, Inspired by Poetry, Kagakuro are THAT couple, Lots of flowers, M/M, Mayuzumi Chihiro is Dramatic, One Shot, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-24
Updated: 2021-01-24
Packaged: 2021-03-16 14:01:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,184
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28957626
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Silver_Porch/pseuds/Silver_Porch
Summary: Akashi Seijūrō has been going through the motions of being a regular college student at university. Passing his time by working at the on-campus flower shop, he becomes rather enamored by a boy named Furihata Kōki. What better way to get his attention than to leave flowers at his doorstep? Right?
Relationships: Akashi Seijuurou/Furihata Kouki, Aomine Daiki/Kise Ryouta (Mentioned), Kuroko Tetsuya/Kagami Taiga (Metioned)
Comments: 4
Kudos: 69





	the flower that smiles today

**Author's Note:**

> Hi guys! I've had this sitting in my laptop since forever so I've decided to post it. Hope you like fluff and romance because this is drenched in sugar syrup.

College was just as anyone would expect it to be; but it also was not. Seijūrō learned in the beginning that the only way to survive such a harrowing duality was to as they often said, “Go with the flow”. But it posed a great challenge for him all the same. Academics were the easy part, but building social relationships was not as easy as he had expected. His whole life, Seijūrō had been raised to mingle with a certain class of people and it was from that select sect of people that he could make friends (more so acquaintances). In university on the other hand, he had the freedom to choose. And this choice was somewhat terrifying.

Teikō University was considered to be one of the most prestigious universities in Japan. His father of course opposed Seijūrō’s pick (as he often did) because as reputed as Teikō was, it was an _arts_ college. And Akashis were only raised (bred more like) to pursue business. But conforming to norms was something he had always had trouble with and after years of being subjected to mindlessly following his father’s orders, he had finally put his foot down.

The result of this confrontation was one he had already anticipated— his father had disowned him. Though he had predicted the entire affair, the process of emancipation was tiring and difficult. No matter how much money he had or how many contacts he had known, he had still been eighteen; barely an adult and yet hardly a child. But he had persisted as one did in these sort of situations. And here he was, at Teikō taking a philosophy and literature course, happy yet miserable. Yes, college was filled with duality and it was something he was still adjusting to.

He was also proud to say that he wasn’t all that hopeless. He had managed to find a group of people he often spent time with and they were almost, he dare say, friends. Though they were odd, Seijūrō couldn’t have been more thankful. 

Mibuchi Reo was one of the people he constantly kept the company of and the older boy was the president of the gardening club. It was also because of Mibuchi Reo that his already out of control life, spiraled further—Mibuchi had introduced him to Furihata Kōki.

Furihata Kōki was a brown haired student his age who most definitely could be compared to an angel; a kind-hearted yet handsome man. He had had Seijūrō’s heart fluttering the instant he had laid eyes on him. It was quite embarrassing, but each time they sat beside each other in literature class, he would swoon over the other boy’s breathtaking features. It was to be expected of course—Seijūrō had always been a hopeless romantic, something his father had despised.

The first time they had met had been at the flower shop. Due to Mibuchi’s constant pushing, he had joined the gardening club which owned the campus flower store. It had been open only for a year, and remained in business due to the various romantic gestures that students took upon themselves to make for their loved ones. The university often hired them as well, to decorate for various events and ceremonies.

He had gone into the job wary and somewhat reluctant, but after understanding the delicacy and precision it required, had taken it as a challenge to be a satisfactory employee. Somewhere along the way, he had grown to love the task of placing flowers in various arrangements and helping the customers who wandered into the shop. The shop, Rakuzan had almost become a second home; a place where he could unwind after a long day. And it was in the flower shop that he had met Furihata for the first time.

The boy was a friend of Kuroko’s, who looked after the finances and revenue that the business produced. Kuroko was also the treasurer of the gardening club and one fine winter day, he had brought Furihata along with him. His first impression of the other boy had been one of curiosity; he was undeniably handsome, but clumsy and shy as well. After a few meetings, it was safe to say that he had been completely charmed. To make matters worse (or better), the brunet often frequented Rakuzan to “hang out”. Over the course of the past year, they had become somewhat good friends and this did not help Seijūrō’s situation in the slightest.

“Sei-Chan! We have a customer! Will you take the order?”

He looked up from the wreath he had been weaving; a pretty little thing made of ivy. “Of course, Reo-Nee.”

He made his way to the front desk where another one of the employees and his friend, Mayuzumi was lounging around lazily. Giving him a dirty look, he turned to their customer; a student he happened to know quite well and one who ended up visiting frequently.

“Aomine,” he gave the man a small smile. “How can we help you this time?”

The lanky boy rubbed his neck, “She’s pretty pissed off again.” He had the decency to look a bit sheepish. “She, uh, told me to never show her my ugly mug again.”

“Aomine-Kun,” Mibuchi sighed pushing a strand of hair behind his ear, “she’s your sister. The least you could do is not cause her so much trouble. What have you done this time?”

“I might have told her she looked like a hot air balloon in her new dress.”

The president of the gardening club shook his head sadly. “Boys, they never learn.”

Seijūrō made his way to the various flowers that littered the back of the shop and after careful consideration, chose a total of four plants which he arranged and tied with a black ribbon.

After he deemed it presentable, he held it out to Aomine. “You can give Satsuki a bouquet this time.”

The blue-haired boy stared at the flowers curiously. “What do they mean?”

“I’ve chosen purple hyacinths which asks for one’s forgiveness, which I’m guessing you desire?”

He received a mute nod in return. “I’ve also chosen irises which signify admiration of character, some orchids which symbolize elegance and have added orange pansies to bring about a pop of color. If I’m not wrong, they are Satsuki’s favorite flower as well.”

Aomine let out a huff of laughter. “Either you’re really good at this or I’ve been here too many times.”

Mayuzumi who had been silent till then snorted. “You come here almost every week to bribe your sister because you always do something stupid.”

“Chihiro-Chan,” Mibuchi chided, “don’t be rude to our regular customer.”

He gestured to the bouquet. “I hope it’s satisfactory.”

Aomine shrugged. “It looks great to me. I just hope she likes it.”

“She will.” Seijūrō handed him the bill he had printed out. “Have I ever let you down?”

“I guess not.”

After paying, he left the shop with a grin and a ‘see you’.

Mibuchi sighed. “That poor girl, having to deal with a dolt like him everyday. As long as he continues his idiocy, we’ll get our weekly two thousand yen.”

Seijūrō went back to the ivy wreath he had been working on and pretended that he was not glancing at his watch like a lovestruck fool. Just as he tied the arrangement together with a rather lovely bow, the door to the shop chimed, signifying a new customer. His heart leapt to his throat as he caught sight of brown hair and warm eyes.

“Oh look, it’s your lover boy.”

He hissed, whipping around to face Mayuzumi. “Keep quiet, he’ll hear you!”

“Sei!”

His cheeks burned at the familiar nickname and he ignored Mayuzumi’s dramatic retching beside him. “Furihata-Kun, how are you today?”

“I’m fine.” He placed his bag on the floor and took his regular seat across the counter. “What are you doing today?”

Seijūrō’s fingers brushed across the wreath, almost caressing the ivy. “The university ordered ten wreaths for an inauguration ceremony tonight. I was just finishing the assembling process.”

“Are you done?”

“There are three more remaining.”

Furihata waved his hand. “Go on, don’t let me keep you. I’ll just watch.”

“If it’s not a bore.”

“Of course not. I like watching you work.”

He could feel the tips of his ears turn hot at the statement. “Very well.”

Mayuzumi chose that moment to rise from his seat, stretching in an exaggerated fashion which did not radiate any sort of sincerity. “I’m tired, I think I’ll head back to the dorms.”

He gave Seijūrō a smirk. “Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.”

Sometimes he truly wondered how on earth a person as infuriating as Mayuzumi Chihiro became his friend in the first place. He chalked it up to bad luck.

With one final careless wave, the grey-haired boy was out, with a light novel in his hand and soon, with his absence, the urge to strangle his co-worker simmered down.

Now with him gone, and with Mibuchi at the front desk, Seijūrō could feel Fuihata’s gaze on him as he wove the ivy together. It was distracting and he caught himself from making several mistakes, which he hoped, went by unnoticed.

He worked in silence, with the occasional conversation; trivial small talk and nothing more. After around thirty minutes, he had finished the wreaths and with Mibuchi’s approval, placed them in the boxes that would then be carried to the function later that day.

He was just about to take a seat to converse with Furihata, when the chime on the door rang once more, giving way to a tall purple-haired boy. He gave the brunet a guilty smile. “I’m sorry, but I’m afraid I have to take care of a customer.”

“No, no. Go ahead.”

Seijūrō made his way to the front of the shop. “Murasakibara,” he greeted. “What brings you to Rakuzan?”

Murasakibara was a classmate of his and as soon as he caught sight of Seijūrō, he ceased chewing on his pocky. “Aka-Chin. I didn’t know you worked here.”

“I’ve been an employee at Rakuzan for about a year now. How can I be of assistance?”

“Muro-Chin is coming here tonight from America.”

He waited for more information but when none was forthcoming, he gave the other man a questioning look. “May I ask, who is this Muro-chin you speak of?”

“Muro-Chin is someone special.”

Seijūrō sighed at the vagueness of the answers he was receiving. If he had to serve his customers to the best of his abilities, he needed to know more about the recipient of the flower arrangement.

“Tell me more about them. Are they a friend of yours? A lover? Family perhaps?”

Murasakibara seemed to think. “Muro-Chin is someone I care about. He’s my friend.”

“I see. Can you tell me more about him? How is he like?”

“He’s very handsome,” he bit into the pocky thoughtfully. “Like the moon. And Muro-Chin is also really nice. He lets me eat as much as I want.”

“Anything else?”

“He’s like glass.”

“Glass?”

“Mm..glass looks strong, but once you drop it, it shatters. Muro-Chin is like that. He thinks he’s tough but he’s actually very breakable.”

If Seijūrō was impressed with the analogy, he did not show it. Instead he grilled his customer with more questions. “You said that he would be coming from America. When was the last time you saw him?”

“I haven’t seen Muro-Chin for over a year.”

“And why did you decide on giving him flowers?”

Murasakibara shrugged. “He’s pretty and pretty people deserve pretty things.”

He nodded. “Do you have any idea on what to give him?”

“I don’t know.” Indeed, he looked quite lost amongst the vegetation that littered the shop and Seijūrō took pity on him. “How about I make him a bouquet? It would be easier to carry.”

“Okay.”

He studied the various flowers which decorated the back room. It seemed as if this Muro-Chin was very important to Murasakibara. And it also seemed as if the purple-haired boy had more than friendly affections for the other man. His classmate might not have known of his feelings yet, but to Seijūrō, it seemed a bit obvious. As he contemplated the design of the arrangement, he caught sight of a flower that he rarely ever used in bouquets— black calla lilies. The flowers with their dark exterior symbolized mysterious magnificence and beauty. Murasakibara had compared the boy to the moon, which was beautiful but cold and the flowers portrayed that wonderfully. He took a few of the lilies and paired them with some violet zinnias, a plant often used to signify sentimentality and the remembrance of absent friends. After pairing the two flowers together, Seijūrō threw inhyacinths which added some vibrancy to the arrangement due to their blue petals and to give the bouquet some structure, constructed a base made from Patchouli leaves, a plant often used in perfumes which signified love and passion. To top the entire arrangement off, he tied it together with honeysuckle vines, which meant devoted affection.

It was a rather dark toned bouquet but Seijūrō was pleased. From what little information he had been given about this Muro-Chin, he had done his best and after deeming it presentable, gave it to Murasakibara. “I hope you find the arrangement agreeable.”

“It’s very pretty. Just like Muro-Chin. And it smells good.”

“I take it that you are satisfied?”

“Mmh. Thank you Aka-Chin.”

“You’re very welcome. Here is your bill.”

His classmate paid, and after saying goodbye, left the shop.

He made his way to the counter and started cleaning up the loose petals and clipped leaves that littered its surface.

“That was brilliant.”

He whipped around to face Furihata, who was still seated at the back, watching him as he worked. “What was?”

“I know Himuro Tatsuya. He visits the university a lot because his brother, Kagami studies here.” The brunet leaned against the chair he was sitting on. “And that bouquet was perfect for him.”

“Himuro Tatsuya?” It took him a few seconds to make the connection. “This Himuro Tatsuya is Muro-Chin, the boy that will soon receive the arrangement?”

“Yup.”

“I see,” he flushed at the compliment. “I merely take into account what the customer desires. It’s really nothing very special.”

But he wouldn’t deny the fact that he knew his bouquets were exemplary. He _did_ pride himself on his arrangements after all.

There were a few beats of silence as he continued with clearing up his workstation.

“Hey Sei, if you could make me a bouquet, what would you give me?”

Seijūrō almost dropped the vase he was holding at the sudden interrogation, and berated himself at his dramatic reaction to a seemingly innocent question.

“It depends on the occasion or the intent of the person giving it.”

Furihata grinned. “You don’t need one. Let me put it like this: if I were a bouquet, then what bouquet would I be?”

He thought about it. Furihata to him, radiated warmth, a sort of feeling that put one at ease. “Maybe some orange orchids, a few red dahlias, some roses perhaps, the peach colored ones and thistles.”

Yes, it suited Furihata; a nice autumn bouquet.

“Can I see how it would look?”

“Of course.”

He pulled out the required flowers for the arrangement and as he was taking some thistles from the storage room, grabbed a few red astilbes, some holly branches along with other leaves to fill the bouquet such as myrtle and dusty miller. He set to work arranging them as neatly and as skillfully as possible. Since it resembled an autumn arrangement, he wished for it to be a bit rustic and rough. After he deemed it worthy enough, he held it out to Furihata.

“Here.”

The other boy grasped the bouquet gently. “What does it mean?”

“The flowers?”

“Yeah.”

Seijūrō pointed to the orchids. “Orange orchids symbolize enthusiasm and boldness, the dahlias mean inner strength as well as passion and the peach roses have been said to signify sincerity and gratitude.”

He ran his thumb over the thistle bud carefully so as to not get pierced by its thorny surface. “This symbolizes loyalty and nobility. The astilbe means brightness, the holly branches are said to bring good luck, ivy and myrtle both symbolize friendship and dusty miller represents happiness.”

He glanced at the brunet through his lashes. “This is what comes to my mind when I think of you.”

Furihata brushed his hand over his, his eyes blazing with warmth. “I don’t think I deserve this.”

_You deserve the world_ , Seijūrō wanted to tell him, but just before he could open his mouth to say something possibly embarrassing, Mibuchi barged into the parlor from the back room.

He removed his hand from the brunet’s grasp quickly. “Reo-Nee.”

“Sei-Chan, Furihata-Kun,” he paused. “Am I interrupting something?”

The boy next to him chuckled. “Sei here was just telling me what this bouquet meant.”

“Oh. Well, we’re closing now. It’s time to lock up.”

He turned to Furihata. “I have to help Reo-Nee close the store. I’ll see you tomorrow?”

“Sure. And I’ll take the flowers. How much are they?”

He waved his hand. “They’re on the house.”

If Mibuchi disapproved, he said nothing.

“Are you sure?”

“Of course. I made it for you.”

The other boy clutched the bouquet to his chest tightly. “Thank you.”

Seijūrō nodded. “See you tomorrow?”

“Yeah.” With one last breathtaking smile, Furihata left the shop, walking into the cool night air.

As soon as he was out of sight, Seijūrō turned to Mibuchi. “I’m sorry. I should have asked you first. I’ll pay for the bouquet myself.”

“Sei-Chan,” the taller boy grabbed the keys to the register. “It’s all right. There’s no need to be sorry. If anyone is sorry, it’s me. I walked in at the wrong time.”

He flushed at the implication of the words. “There was nothing to interrupt.”

“If you say so.” But it seemed as if Mibuchi did not believe a word he had uttered. The discussion ended there but Seijūrō could not help but think of the possibility of what might have happened if the club president had not, in fact entered the room at that precise moment. Would he have confessed his feelings for the other boy? He did not know and he would never know. Some things were better left unknown, he supposed. 

********

That night he sat down on his bed, reading the text that had been prescribed to him that week. The poem was a rather sad one and was ironically titled, _The Flower That Smiles Today._ It had been written by P.B. Shelley, one of the most prolific romantic poets of all time and as he read the text, he was filled with a sudden sense of despair for Shelley spoke of fleeting life and the brevity of all things. Life, the poet stated, was something that was to be lived to the fullest.

The lines struck a chord within him, as poetry often did and it got Seijūrō thinking of his own life. So far, it had not been very enjoyable, but now, at University, he could live the life he had always wanted to live. He was free from his father and the fear of being something he was not. _Fear_ ; such a palpable, heart-wrenching and heart-stopping feeling. It was fear which had stopped him from pursuing so many things back then and it remained fear, which stopped him now. It was only after he had gotten over it that he had stood up to his father and had taken hold of the reigns which controlled his life. Seijūrō despised weakness, something that had been drilled into his head as a young child; something he had unfortunately not been able to rid himself of. And living in fear was most definitely a weakness. It was finding courage in the small things that mattered at the end.

It was time, he decided, to take Shelley’s advice; he wished to live a life without regrets.And he would start off by confessing his feelings for Furihata as soon as possible. The fear of rejection was preventing him from doing so and a life filled with regrets was not a life worth living. And Seijūrō would most definitely regret it if he did not at least make his feelings known. If rejection was what he would be facing, then he would embrace it wholeheartedly. But he would have to try. With this newfound determination, he decided to structure a plan.

Seijūrō by nature was not a very confrontational person when it came to matters of the heart. He could already predict the disaster a direct confession would bring about; it would definitely consist of ruddy cheeks, stuttering words and extreme bouts of embarrassment. No, he preferred a more delicate, yet subtle approach.

He would confess to Furihata through flowers.

Satisfied with the sheer brilliance of his idea, he continued to read the poem, anticipating the next morning when he would put his plan into action.

********

His classes the next day started at around eleven in the morning and this gave him some time to go into Rakuzan and choose a flower. The morning shift in the shop was run by Hayama and Nebuya, two seniors of his and when he entered the store, they were there to greet him.

“Akashi! What brings you here so early?”

Seijūrō hitched the bag he was carrying up his shoulder. “I’m afraid I’m a customer today.”

Hayama’s face lit up. “What do you need?”

“Two or three branches of red and pink aster.”

“Is that all?”

“Yes.”

As Nebuya entered the back room to pick out the flowers he desired, the blond leaned over the counter and raised his eyebrow. “Aster, huh? Trust and undying devotion. Interesting-”

He balked under Hayama’s knowing stare and he was thankfully saved from having to explain himself as the vivid flowers he desired were placed in front of him.

“Thank you.”

After paying for the plants, he wished his co-workers a good day and made his way to Furihata’s dorm room. He knew the brunet was in class, and would be back within half an hour. As carefully as possible, he tied the flowers with a ribbon and placed them at the front of the room door, where he would hopefully find it later. To make sure the nature of the recipient would not be in question, he attached a card addressing the flowers to a one Furihata Kōki. After making sure no one had seen him, he then left the dorm to attend his next lecture, his heart racing. Never had he done something of this sort; something so romantic or reckless. Throughout the rest of the day, his mind wandered to the asters and he wondered whether Furihata had found them lying at his doorstep.

The answer to his curiosity was presented to him much later, when he was at work.

“Sei!”

He looked up from the holly he had been clipping. “Furihata-Kun, how are you today?”

The very sight of the subject of his affections sent his heart beating into a frenzy.

“I’m fine. Can you tell me what these flowers mean?”

He placed familiar flowers onto the counter.

“These are asters.” Seijūrō picked them up as carefully as possible, brushing his fingers against their velvety petals. “Red and pink asters. They symbolize love, devotion and trust.”

He looked up at Furihata. “That is their meaning.”

“Thank you.”

He gave the brunet the flowers but Furihata did not speak of them again. Instead he took his usual seat and watched Seijūrō continue his task of pruning the holly. It took all his self restraint to not grill the other boy on the thoughts he had of the flowers he had received.

Just before he was going to give into temptation and ask him about them, the door to the shop opened and a familiar mop of blond hair entered the store.

“Kise, how may I be of assistance?”

Kise Ryōta was Aomine’s boyfriend and often accompanied his lover to Rakuzan whenever an arrangement had to be created for Satsuki (which happened quite often). 

“Akashicchi! I just wanted to speak to Reo-Nee.”

“He’s not here right now.”

“I see, would you pass on a message to him then?”

“Of course.”

He grabbed a pen and a piece of paper as Kise spoke. “It’s my sister’s wedding in two weeks and we’ve been looking for a flower shop in Tokyo who can do the decoration for it. I’ve always liked your arrangements, so I was wondering if Rakuzan would be up for it.”

“When is the wedding?”

“June 1st at ten in the morning. I can send you the address later. So, is it a yes?”

Seijūrō gave him a small smile. “I’ll have to let Reo-Nee know of course, but I do not see why it would be a problem to create the decorations for the occasion.”

“Great! I’ll drop by in two days for the final answer.”

“All right. Thank you for considering Rakuzan for such an important ceremony.”

Kise laughed. “You guys _are_ one of the best I’ve ever seen. Why wouldn’t I consider it? Anyway, see you soon Akashicchi! Tell Reo-Nee I said hi!”

With one last wave, he exited the store, jabbering away on his phone.

“A wedding ceremony, huh?” Furihata grinned at him. “This is Rakuzan’s first major event isn’t it?”

“Our first major independent event, yes. That is, if Reo-Nee and Kuroko agree to it.”

“They will. I can already see Reo-Nee picking out flowers.”

Seijūrō could see it too.

The rest of the evening passed by with no further excitement or allusions to the aster flowers he had left the brunet and they parted ways when Seijūrō closed the shop once again. Determined to get a reaction from the boy he liked, he vowed to do better the next day.

********

The next day, he chose white carnations and like the previous day, attached a card bearing Furihata’s name. After placing them at the door, he continued on with his schedule. In the evening, he eagerly waited for Furihata’s arrival at the shop and while he was doing so, Mibuchi took the time to make an important announcement. “As you know, we have been asked to take care of the flowers at Kise-Kun’s sister’s wedding. Kuroko and I have already accepted the offer.”

As the employees cheered, he cleared his throat. “We also have a new employee with us. Everyone, please welcome Shōgo-Kun.”

Haizaki Shōgo was a rather troubling young man who, due to an altercation with another student, had been given the choice of expulsion or finding an on campus job. Needless to say, there was hardly any choice and Mibuchi with his soft heart, had decided to take him in like an abandoned puppy. Seijūrō wasn’t too enthusiastic about the arrangement, and Mayuzumi did not seem to like it either judging by the scowl on his face.

“Oi, listen up you brat. One wrong move, and I’ll fuck you over for weeks, got it?”

“Chihiro-Chan!” Mibuchi looked scandalized. “Don’t talk to your new co-worker like that!”

But Haizaki seemed to take no offense for he smirked. “Whatever. I bet you couldn’t throw even a single punch with your thin noodle arms anyway.”

“Want to bet?”

“Okay, okay. That’s enough. Sei-Chan, you can show Shōgo-Kun the ropes for today. And Chihiro-Chan, please behave.”

With that the president entered the stock room to go over the various orders that they had placed for the next week. Sighing at his misfortune, he led Haizaki over to the counter, explaining the various functions of the shop and its contents. It was a long, tiring task, especially since the grey-haired boy hardly paid attention to anything Seijūrō was saying. 

“Hi Sei.”

He turned around, beaming at the voice. “Furihata-Kun!”

“Haizaki, please stay here while I take care of a customer and please refrain from touching anything.”

Without waiting for a reply, he made his way over to the brunet. “How was your day?”

“It was great. Hey, could you tell me what these mean?”

He held out the carnations and Seijūrō gave him a tiny smile. “White carnations. They signify pure love as well as innocence.”

Furihata gripped them tightly, “Huh, interesting. Someone’s been leaving flowers at my door for two days now. I’m guessing that they probably bought it from Rakuzan because it _is_ the only flower shop on campus. Do you remember who you sold these to?”

He shook his head. “I do not recall anyone purchasing white carnations today. The customer may have come in during the morning shift, when I was absent.”

At the other boy’s disappointed look he added. “I can ask Hayama and Nebuya-Senpai and get back to you tomorrow.”

“Thanks, Sei. That means a lot to me.”

He, of course would not be doing anything of that sort but he smiled at Furihata all the same. “Of course.”

And that was that.

********

The third day of his secret flower gifting went by smoothly. He had placed hibiscus flowers at Furihata’s dorm and was now currently at work, supervising Haizaki as he attempted to arrange a simple bouquet. “Please try to be more gentle”

He winced as his co-worker gave a particularly harsh tug while tying the flowers together. “If you tighten the ribbon that hard, you can severe some of the stems. Be aware that these flowers are very delicate.”

“They’re almost dead anyway.”

He bristled at the disrespectful tone. “All the more reason for you to handle them carefully, then. Here, try another one.”

As Haizaki picked up another flower, grumbling, the door to Rakuzan opened.

“Akashi, hey.”

He glanced up at the redhead who had lumbered into the store, looking rather lost.

“Kagami, what a lovely surprise. What brings you here?”

Kagami, Kuroko’s boyfriend scratched his cheek.

“Well, Kuroko and I are going to have our one year anniversary tonight and I just wanted a nice bouquet for our dinner table, you know?”

He gave the taller boy a small smile. “Congratulations. And I’m guessing it is you who will be cooking the meal?”

“Yeah.” He looked a bit embarrassed at the admission.

“Wonderful. Do you have any idea of which vase you shall be using?”

“A short, round one.”

Seijūrō nodded. “And what color is this vessel?”

“Transparent I think?”

“All right. Do you wish to convey something to Kuroko specifically?”

“Nah,” Kagami grinned. “I just want the table to look good.”

“Very well.”

With that, Seijūrō went to the back of the shop. Kuroko was a simple man of simple tastes and like Seijūrō himself, appreciated elegant beauty. Fancy arrangements would not help Kagami in any way. With this in mind, he chose wildflowers such as daisies, daffodils, smartweed and babies’ breath. It reflected to him, a sort of comfort that Kagami and Kuroko’s relationship was cemented in. They were obviously very much in love and wildflowers represented the beauty, purity, intimacyas well as the rawness of their passion. After collecting some more plants, he placed them on the counter and tied them with some tweed. “Is this to your liking?”

“Wow,” Kagami picked up the finished product. “It’s perfect.”

Seijūrō preened. “Thank you.” It was another job well done it seemed. Of course he wouldn’t accept anything less than perfection, especially when it pertained to himself.

Just as Kagami was paying for the bouquet, the door opened yet again, and he caught sight of light brown hair.

“Ah, Furihata-Kun, just give me a few minutes.”

“No problem.”

He accepted the money and placed it in the register. “Thank you, Kagami. Feel free to come again some other time.”

“Sure. Thanks for the flowers.”

“Of course. I hope you have a pleasant dinner.”

“Thanks.”

He then left Rakuzan, the door closing behind him with a thud.

“Hey, Sei.”

He felt his ears heating up at Furihata’s gaze. “Hello.”

“So, I received more flowers.”

“How lovely. Do you want me to tell you what they are?”

“That would be great.”

He swooned at the smile that was thrown his way as Furihata placed the plants onto the counter.

“These are hibiscus and they often symbolize a rare and delicate beauty.”

He picked up the yellow flowers carefully. “Beautiful, aren’t they?”

“Very beautiful. But Sei, I still don’t know who’s leaving them for me. Did Hayama-Sempai or Nebuya-Senpai tell you anything?”

It took him a few seconds to remember that he had promised Furihata that he would ask his co-workers about this ‘mystery customer’ of theirs.

“Unfortunately they do not have any inkling of this person.” He lied. “They might not even be purchasing flowers from Rakuzan.”

“Oh.” He tried to ignore Furihata’s dejected expression. He would let the brunet know, someday. But today was most definitely not that day.

********

The next morning, he chose to place orange tulips at Furihata’s door. They were one of the most vibrant flowers he had ever laid eyes on and they fit the other boy’s exuberant personality perfectly. Satisfied with his choice, he went about his day, arriving at Rakuzan in the afternoon. Haizaki was already there, chatting with a black haired boy who he soon recognized as Nijimura Shūzō, the President of the student council.

After spending a few minutes in their company, it was obvious to Seijūrō that the two of them were dancing around each other, not unlike repelling magnets. He fought the urge to push them together, if only to rid the room of a feeling of uneasy tension. Nijimura left soon enough and it seemed as if Seijūrō wasn’t the only one to have felt their somewhat tense dynamic.

“Oh for goodness sake, just fuck him already.” Mayuzumi groaned. “It was painful watching you two.”

Haizaki glared at him. “Mind your own business.” And that was the end of that.

Rakuzan’s first customer for the evening, came as a surprise to them all. When Hanamiya Makoto entered the shop, with his hands in his pockets, Seijūrō did not know what to make of it. He had heard somewhat nasty rumors about the older boy; dark and twisted ones. Misfortune seemed to follow him wherever he went.

“Hello,” He gave Seijūrō an innocent smile. “I’d like to buy a wreath.”

“What plant do you wish for it to be made of?”

“Whatever plant that means ‘fuck you’ in flower language.”

Mayuzumi snorted beside him, but he himself tried not to react in any way, instead nodding at their customer. “Very well. Please give me a few minutes.”

He had no desire to know to whom this arrangement was for, but if Hanamiya desired a malicious wreath, he would be receiving one.

He chose lobelia, a vivid violet flower which symbolized malevolence, wolfsbane which represented hatred and wove them together with wormwood, an herb which often meant bitterness. He placed the wreath onto the counter. “Here you go.”

Hanamiya looked impressed. “You keep wolfsbane in a flower shop? Isn’t it poisonous?”

“We are only allowed to use wolfsbane certified by the horticulture association of Japan. This particular species is relatively harmless.”

“I see.” He paid for the arrangement. “See you around, I guess.”

As he left the store, with the wreath dangling in his hands, he sincerely hoped to never see Hanamiya Makoto ever again.

A little while later, as Mayuzumi and Haizaki once again continued to argue about unimportant topics which more often than not, pertained to the attractiveness of various anime characters, the door to the shop opened, and Furihata arrived, seemingly confused, holding the tulips he had placed at his door that very morning.

“Hello, Furihata-Kun. I hope you’ve had a pleasant day so far.”

“My day was great. How about yours?”

He thought of Hanamiya and shuddered. “It could have gone better, I suppose.”

The other boy gave him a curious glance, but he shook his head. “You do not wish to know, trust me.”

“All right, I’ll take your word for it.” He held out the flowers. “I found these at my door this morning.”

Seijurō took the tulips from him. “These are orange tulips.”

“What do they mean?”

“They represent appreciation and understanding.”

“Oh.” He stared at the flowers for a while and sighed. “I just wish whoever is leaving them for me would just reveal themselves already.”

Seijūrō caressed the leaves of the tulips softly. “Maybe they do not wish for you to know yet. Maybe they’ll tell you when they’re ready.”

“Then I’ll wait.” Furihata’s eyes locked with his own red ones. “I’ll wait.”

********

Before arriving to work the next day, Seijūrō placed a few sunflowers at the foot of Furihata’s door, all the while, making sure that his actions could not be perceived by others staying at the dorms.

When the brunet arrived at Rakuzan in the evening, he had commenced working on the designs of the flower arrangements that would be used for Kise’s sister’s wedding.

“Sei, look what I found this time.”

He glanced at the bright yellow and black flowers. “Sunflowers.”

“Don’t they mean happiness?”

Seijūrō flushed as the other boy leaned over the counter towards him. “It does. It also symbolizes adoration and loyalty.”

“Adoration, huh?”

He nodded in confirmation.

“Wow, this person must really care about me, don’t they?”

“It does seem that way, yes.”

“Akashi!” The door to the shop opened suddenly, giving way to a grinning boy around his age.

“Takao Kazunari,” Seijūrō smoothed down his smock. “What brings you to Rakuzan?”

He received a sigh in response to his question. “I’m here for Shin-Chan’s lucky item. You know how he is.”

He did. Midorima Shintarō was one of his closest friends, but his odd eccentricities still somewhat concerned him till this day. Takao on the other hand, seemed to love them, claiming that they gave Midorima some ‘character’.

“What is this lucky item of his?”

“Peonies. Pink ones.”

“Haizaki.” Seijūrō narrowed his eyes at his grey-haired co-worker who seemed to not care less about the customer who stood in front of them. “Go and bring some pink peonies from the back.”

“Do I have to?”

His lips curled in distaste at the drawling whine. “Go now. Do not make me tell Reo-Nee of your lazy tendencies.”

“Fine, fine.” With that, Haizaki stalked into the back room.

“New employee?”

“Unfortunately.”

Takao threw him a sympathetic look.

As they waited for the peonies, they made small talk, speaking of unimportant things such as the weather. He had always found Takao to be a rather interesting conversationalist and most of their discussions were often enjoyable.

“Here,” The flowers were tossed carelessly onto the counter and Seijūrō refrained himself from ringing Haizaki’s neck in frustration. He seemed incapable of any sort of delicacy. After arranging them carefully in a presentable manner, he gave them to Takao who paid him immediately. “Thanks. See you later!”

“Goodbye Takao.”

“Sei.”

He turned to Furihata who was still sitting at his place near the counter. “I’m afraid I have to leave as well. My department is organizing a fest and I’m in the planning committee.”

“Of course. I’ll see you tomorrow?”

“Yeah.”

********

The next morning Seijūrō left at Furihata’s door, a few sprigs of lavender which symbolized devotion and affection. He had only one class the entire day, and he soon found himself at Rakuzan, finalizing the decorations for the upcoming wedding. Mibuchi had to attend an emergency student council meeting and Mayuzumi had stated that he would be arriving rather late due to a test. Haizaki had a day off, and so, it was just him sitting amongst the flowers, trying to arrive at ideas that would suit the wreaths that were to decorate the aisle.

The bell connected to the door chimed and Seijūrō glanced at the person who entered, his breath hitching as he came face to face with warm brown eyes.

“Hi.”

“Hello.”

Furihata grinned at him. “Busy?”

“No more so than usual.”

“Cool. Hey, I got more flowers today.”

“You did?” He stood, making his way towards the front desk. “May I see?”

“Yeah, here.”

But the flowers he pulled out were not the ones he had placed at the door. They were most definitely not lavender. Instead, a bouquet was placed on the counter. “This is it.”

He narrowed his eyes in confusion. “This?”

“Yeah. Could you tell me what it means?”

“Of course.” Though perplexed, he still picked up the flowers, a strange feeling in his chest. Had someone else started leaving flowers as well? None of it made any sense at all.

He peered at the arrangement. It had been very well put together, obviously by someone who knew what they had been doing. “These are dahlias,” He brushed his finger against the red flower. “It means elegance and dignity. The pink flowers beside them are gladiolas which symbolizes strength of character and red roses mean true love.”

Seijūrō felt his heart grow heavier by the second. It was so far, a very passionate bouquet. “These green weeds are ambrosia and they mean-” He paused, somewhat stunned. “They mean-”

“They mean your feelings are reciprocated.” Furihata grasped his hands. “I knew it was you the whole time, Sei. You weren’t very subtle.”

His head spun. “I wasn’t?”

“No,” the brunet looked amused. “I saw you the second time around through the peephole. I have a habit of looking through it before I leave the dorm.”

“But why didn’t you say anything?”

“I wanted you to tell me on your own. But I got a little impatient, as you can tell.”

“So this bouquet-”

“Is from me to you.”

Seijūrō blushed, his cheeks heating up quickly. “I see.”

“Sei?”

“Yes?”

“Can I kiss you?”

He looked at the other boy through his lashes, shyly. “Of course.”

He sighed as soft lips touched his own and he wrapped his arms around Furihata’s neck, running his hands through downy hair. Never in his wildest dreams had he ever thought that his affection would be reciprocated and their kiss almost felt like a fantasy. They took their time, reveling in the feeling of one another, before finally breaking apart for air.

“You have no idea how long I’ve been wanting to do that.”

Furihata grinned at him. “Do you have any idea how long _I’ve_ been wanting to do that?”

They smiled at each other rather dopily. “Furihata-Kun-”

“Kōki.”

“Kōki,” he breathed. “Would you do me the honor of becoming my boyfriend?”

“If only you’ll do the honor of becoming mine.”

“I will.”

Furihata placed a chaste kiss to his forehead. “Then I am yours.”

As they held each other, surrounded by flowers, he realized he had never felt so at peace. Though his plan had failed to play out in the way he had expected it to, everything had worked out at the end. “Kōki?”

“Mmh?”

“I like you.”

“I like you too, Sei.”

Life certainly did work in rather unexpected ways, didn’t it? And Seijūrō was definitely ready for the ride. Or was he?


End file.
